Garment-hanger.



No. 745,961. I PATENTED DEC. 1, 1908. C. F. L. HOEPFINGER.

GARMENT HANGER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

YEZiTnEssEm Iluzmxvrum Qw/ flflW 2 Q WW y 1:: Norms vans co. mumuwo, WASHINLTOBL u r UNITED STATES Patented December 1, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

GARMENT-HANGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,961, dated December 1, 1903.

Application filed August 24, 1903. Serial No.l70,520. (No modem jlo (tZZ whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that LGARL F. L. HOEPFINGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefullmprovementsin Garment-Hangers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to garment-hangers.

The object of my invention is to provide a garment-hanger which is cheap to manufaciure, efficient in operation, and adapted to support thereon, so as to retain their proper shape, a coat, vest, trousers, and a skirt.

My invention provides a bow for supporting the coat and vest, two transverse bars connecting the ends of the bow and disposed one above the other, the upper bar serving to support the trousers and the lower bar the skirt, the lower bar further providing means for preventing spreading of the ends of the bow and retaining the upper bar securely in position.

My invention provides, further, two members slidably mounted on the lower bar and provided with means for supporting thereon a garment the weight of which will tilt said members and hold them locked in position on the lower bar.

My invention provides, further, means by which the said members may be held locked against the upper bar in a given position.

My invention provides, further, means by which said slidable members when not supporting a garment may be held forced apart, so as to be readily affixed upon a skirt or similar garment.

My invention provides,further,novel means by which in placing a garment upon the said slidable members the members will be caused to take positions on the bar equally distant from the ends thereof, thus centrally disposposing the load upon the hanger.

Other novel features are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrative of my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation view of one form of my invention with the members for supporting the skirt in the extended position, one of said members being shown in vertical central section. Fig. 2 is a View of the form shown in Fig. 1, also shown partly in elevation and partly in section, the

slidable members being shown engaged by a skirt (indicated by dotted lines) and held locked on the lower bar by the weight of the skirt. Fig. 3 is a side elevation view, one slidable member being shown in section, of another form of myinvention in which the lower bar is extended through the ends of the bow and provided with means for clamping the bow. In this view the slidable members are shown looked upon the lower bar. In this form of my invention two springs are employed for forcing the slidable members apart, an abutment being provided on the lower bar between the two members. By this construction the members are always positioned by the springs at substantially equal distances from the ends of the bow. In this form of myinvention the lower bar is detachable from the bow. Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of still another form of my invention in which the ends of the bow are provided with hooks upon which is detach ably supported the lower bar. In this view the lower bar is shown detached. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the dotted line a b of Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 5, A indicates the bow, convex on the upper and concave on the lower sides. Centrally in the upper side is secured an eye B, by which the bow is supported. C denotes the upper transverse straight bar connecting the ends of the bow, to which it is secured. The upper side of the bar 0 is preferably rounded and is adapted to support thereupon apair of trousers inserted between the bar and the bow. A U- shaped bar D has its vertical ends secured to the ends of the bow A. This bar is disposed below and parallel with the bar 0. It is made preferably of wire. Upon the bar D are slidably mounted two members E, each provided with a hole therethrough through which is thrust the bar D. Each member E is provided at its outer end with an outwardly and downwardly curved arm F, which serves to support a skirt G, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,) the weight of which causes the arms F to tilt the members E upon the barD and cause the said members to be locked upon the said bar in the position in which they may be set on the bar. When the members E are so tilted upon the bar D, they are preferably made to engage the under side of the bar C, thus affording a more securelocking arrangement. arms F are preferably provided with projections H, which engage the skirt G and prevent its slipping from the arms. Encircling the bar D between the members E is a coilspring I, which bears against the inner ends of the members E and by its tension causes the members E when relieved of the weight of the skirt G to be normally forced apart and to the ends of the bar D, as shown in Fig. 1.

In operating my invention the coat and vest are placed upon the bow A in the usual manner. The trousers are then slipped between the bow and the bar 0 and permitted to fold over and hang upon the bar 0, as shown in dotted lines and indicated by J in Fig. 5. Ifitis now desired tosuspend a skirt, the waistband is caused to embrace the arms F, the members E being moved on the bar D to a position in which the skirt-band will be stretched. The weight of the skirt then bearing upon the arms F causes the members E to be tilted to the positions shown in Fig. 2, in which position they will look upon the bar D and against the under side of the bar 0. When so locked, they will not slip toward each other. The strength of the spring I is not sufiicient to move the members E when they are locked on the bar D, butis justsufficient to force the said members outwardly after they are freed from the skirt.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 3 the lower bar (indicated by D) is placed in holes provided in the ends of the bow A. The bar D has a head K at one end and is screwthreaded at the other end. On the screwthreaded end outside the bow A, against which it bears, is a nut L. In this form of my invention the bar D firmly clamps the bow and prevents its spreading and more securely fastens the bar 0 in position. In the center of the bar D is rigidly secured a c011 lar M, which serves as an abutment against which bears the inner ends of two coil-springs I, the outer ends of which bear, respectively, upon the inner ends of the members E. By employing two springs when the skirt is slipped over the arms F of the members E the members E will be positioned by the said springs at about equal distancesfrom the ends of the bar D, and the skirt will thus be suspended centrally on the hanger. In placing the skirt on the arms F itis first pulled over one arm, and the other arm is then forced inwardly and positioned inside the waistband of the skirt. The two springs will cause the two members E to slip to about the same distances from the abutment or collar M.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 two hooks N are inserted vertically in the ends of the bow A. The bar D in this case is provided at its ends with the eyes 0, adapted to engage the hooks N and removable therefrom in case The upper sides of the the skirt-suspending device is not desired to be used. The bars D and D correspond in function to the bar D, (shown in Figs. 1 and 2,) and the members E in each form look upon the said bars in alike manner.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 the spring I serves the same purpose as the similar spring in the form shown in Fig. 1.

My invention may be modified in other ways Without departing from its spirit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a garment-hanger, the combination with a bow, of a transverse bar connecting the ends of the how, a second bar also connected at its ends to the ends of the bow and disposed below the first bar, two devices slidably mounted on the second bar and adapted when properly tilted thereon to engage and lock against the upper bar, and a spring for forcing the said devices away from each other.

2. In a garment-hanger, the combination with a bow, of a transverse bar connecting the ends of the bow, a second bar disposed below and parallel with the first bar and supported by the how, two devices slidably mounted on the lower bar and disposed so as to, when properly tilted, engage with and lock against the upper bar, the said devices being each provided with means for supporting a garment the weight of which through said means causes the device to be tilted so as to engage the upper bar, and means for normally forcing the devices away from each other.

3. In a garment-hanger, the combination with a bow, of a transverse bar connecting the ends of the bow, asecond bar disposed below and parallel with the first bar, two devices slidably mounted on the lower bar and provided each with means for supporting a garment and at the same time causing the device to tilt and engage and lock with the upper bar, and a coil-spring encircling the lower bar and normally forcing the said devices apart.

4. In a garment-hanger, the combination with a bow, of a transverse bar connecting the ends of the bow, a second bar supported by the bow parallel with and below the first bar, two devices slidably mounted on the lower bar and adapted when properly tilted to engage and lock with the upper bar, each of said devices having an arm for so tilting the device and adapted to support a garment the weight of which tilts the said device and causes it to engage the upper bar, and a coil-spring encircling the lower bar and normally forcing the two devices apart.

5. In a garment-hanger, the combination with a bow, of a transverse bar connecting the ends of the bow, a second bar disposed below and parallel with the first bar and having its ends detachably connected with the ends of the bow, two devices slidably mounted on the lower bar and provided with means for being tilted on the lower bar so as to engage and lock with the first, the said tilting means providing for the support of a garment the weight of which causes the said devices to tilt, and a spring normally forcing the said devices apart.

6. In a garment-hanger, the combination with a bow provided with a supporting means and provided with two holes one at each end of the bow, of a transverse bar connecting the ends of the bow, a second bar disposed par allel with and below the first and releasably supported in said holes, two members slidably mounted on said lower bar, means by which said members may be tilted and held locked in position on the lower bar, and a spring for normally forcing the said members apart.

7. In a garment-hanger, the combination with a bow for supporting a coat or vest, of a transverse straight bar connecting the ends of the bow and adapted to support a pair of trousers upon the upper side of the bar, a second bar disposed below and parallel with the first bar and supported by the bow, and two members slidably mounted on the lower bar and provided each with means for engaging and supporting a garment the weight of which will cause the said members to be tilted and held locked in position on the lower bar.

8. In a garment-hanger, the combination with a bow for supporting a coat or vest, of a transverse straight bar connecting the ends of the bow and adapted to support on its upper side a pair of trousers, a second bar disposed below and parallel with the first'bar and supported by the bow, two members slidably mounted on the lower bar and provided each with means for engaging and supporting a garment the weight of which will tilt the said members and cause them to be held looked upon the lower bar, and a spring for normally forcing the members apart when they have been freed from said garment.

9. In a garment-hanger, the combination with a bow, of two transverse bars connecting the ends of the how, one bar being disposed above and parallel to the other, the lower bar being provided with means for holding and preventing spreading apart of the ends of the bow.

10. In a garment-hanger, the combination with a bow, of two transverse parallel bars connecting the ends of the bow and disposed one above the other, the lower bar extending through the two ends of the bow, one'end of the lower bar having a head and the other end being screw-threaded, and a nut mounted on said screw-threaded end and bearing against the outer side of the bow.

11. In a garment-hanger, the combination with a bow, of two transverse parallel bars connecting the ends of the bow and disposed one above the other, two members slidably mounted on the lower bar and provided each with means for engaging a garment the weight of which will cause the members to tilt and be held locked in position on the lower bar, an abutment on the lower bar between said two members, and two springs encircling said lower bar and bearing at their inner ends upon said abutment and at their outer ends upon said members respectively, the said springs normally forcing the said members apart.

12. In a garment-hanger, the combination with a bow, of two transverse parallel bars connecting the ends of the bow and disposed one above the other, two members slidably mounted on the lower bar and provided with means for being tilted so as to engage and lock with the upper bar the said tilting means providing for the support of a garment the weight of which will so tilt the said members, an abutment on the lower bar between said members, and two springs encircling said lower bar and bearing upon said abutment at their inner ends and at their outer ends upon said members respectively, the said springs normally forcing said members apart.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CARL F. L. HOEPFINGER.

Witnesses:

-WARREN D. HOUSE, HENRY F. ROSE. 

